Ribbon-reversing mechanism for type-writers.



No. 740,651. v PATENTED OCT. 6,1908.

W. F. HELMOND.

RIBBON REVERSING MECHANISM FOR TYPE' WRITERS.

APPLIGATION FILED m2. 5. 190,3.- no MODEL. a sums-sum 1.

.INVENTOR WITNESSES:

. BY v I ATTORNEYS TH: mans eas 00., mmauruo wssumcrcu. u. c.

m-mms'l. I PATBNTED' OCT. 6, 1903.-

W. F.-HELMOND. V

RIBBON RBVERSING MEGHANISMPOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. 1903.

mi MODEL. 3 snnmssnz r 2.

IINVEN'TUR WITNESSES: I

I ATTORNEYS Tu: "cams PETERS 00., Pam-numb wnmmsmn, n. c.

UNITED STATES- Patentecl October 6,1903

PA T OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. HELMOND, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOODTYPEWRITER COMPANY, on NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION on new JERSEY;

RlBBON-REVERSlNG MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,651, dated Octobere, 1903.

Application filed March 5,1903. Serial No. 146,321. (No mozlehl To allwhom it may concerrt: 4

Be itknown thatLWILLIAM F. HELMOND,a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Hartford, Hartford county,(lonnecticut, have I inventedcertain new and ,useful Improvements in Ribbon-Reversing Mechanisms forType-Writers,of which the followingisaspeci fication.

My invention relates to type-writing ina-- chines and the like in whichaprinting-ribbon is shifted during the operation of the machine, so as tosecure a uniform wear of the ribbon, and in which the direction of theribbon-feed is periodically reversed.

The object of my invention is to providea mechanism of theabove-indicated class that will operate with certainty and with theexpenditure of very little power, so that the re versing of the ribbonwill takev place .at theright moment without putting any undue strain ondelicate parts, such as the ribbon itself. I

My invention will now be fully described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, and the features of novelty will thenbe point-'tail sectional elevation illustrating the elas-,

tic means for shifting the reversing-shaft.

Each of the ribbon-spools A is carried upon a shaft B, journaled in aframe O of the machine, and provided at'its lower. end. with a,

beveled wheel B. These wheels are adapt ed for alternateenga'gement withbeveled pinions D D which are rigidly secured upon the reversing-shaftD, Whichis mounted in bearings 0, not only to turn but to slide in them.The distance between the beveled pinions D D -is less than the distancebetween the two beveled Wheels B, so that only one of the pinions can bein mesh at a time. Upon one end of the shaft is mounted a crankD Fig. 4is an for the purpose of manually adjusting the ribbon E. \Vith theshaft is further connected, as byrneans of an arm D on the crank D 1aratchet-wheel F, engaged by a spring-pawl G to prevent a return movementof the ratchet-wheel, the said pawl being secured to a fixed portion ofthe frame.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that I the end of the arm D whichengages the ratchet-wheel F is parallel with the shaft D, so that theshaft, with the said arm, may be 'rnoved lengthwise, bringing the arinout of engagement with the ratchet-Wheel, which latter does not sharethe longitudinal motion I the central ribbon=guide Nin any suitablemanner.

It will be understood that mechanism for imparting an intermittentrotation to the reversing-shaft D and for actuating the ribbonguideforms no part of my present invention.

Adjacent to each ribbon-spool I prefer to arrange a stationaryribbon-guide O, preferably carried by a bracket 0. Between the two endribbon-gu ides O and adjacent to each of them I locate a movableribbon-guide P, preferably U-shaped, as shown best in Fig. 3. Each ofthese' movable guides is carried by a crank-arm P upon a shaft P, whichis journaled in stationary bearings P adjacent to the bearings of' theshaft B. of each shaft P is bent-so as to clear the beveled wheel B andis then further bent to extend to the side and preferably also under thereversing-shaft D, as shown at P These portions P of the shafts P formcrank portions adapted to engage collars Q, which are The lower end 1slidable lengthwise upon the shaft D, the arrangement being such thatthe crank portion P is between the collar Q and the beveled pinion D orD pressed toward the crank portion P by a spring R, coiled around theshaft D and having its other end in engagement with a collar S, which isrigidly secured upon the shaft D or at least is held to slide therewith.The ribbon E is provided near its ends with suitable projections E,adapted to collide with the corresponding movable guides P, so that asthe end of the ribbon Winds ofi the spool the corresponding guide P willbe swung in such a manner as to press the collar Q toward the collar S.In order that the shaft D may be shifted suddenly, I provide suitablemechanism for retarding the shifting of the shaft until the crankportion P has moved to a certain extent. This mechanism, as shown,consists of two grooves D provided at one end of the shaftD and adaptedto be engaged by a ball T, which is pressed into either one of saidgrooves by'a spring U, the tension of which maybe adjusted by means of asetscrew V. The spring and set-screw are contained in a sleeve W, whichis adjustable in the frame of themachine toward and from the shaft D andwhich may be held in its adjusted position by means of a set-screw X.

It will be understood that the movement of the movable guide P and theresultant movement of the crank portion P will at first only compressthe spring R until the tension of said spring will be sufficient toovercome the resistance which is opposed to the longitudinal movement ofthe shaft D by the retarding and locking ball T. Thus in Fig. 2 thespring R at the right-hand portion ofthe machine is shown in acompressed condition at the moment immediately preceding the shifting ofthe shaft D. When the tension of the compressed spring is sufficient,the ball T will rise on the curved or inclined surface of the groove Dand the spring R will expand and throw the shaft D from left to right.This throws the beveled pinion 13 into engagement with the beveled wheelB, and thus causes the ribbon to be reversed. A similar action will takeplace when the other end of The collar Q is normallyitself is shiftedsuddenly, thus securing a positive action.

Various modifications may be made with out departing from the nature ofmy invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Inatype-writing machine or the like, the combination ofa movableribbon-guide,means for feeding the ribbon, mechanism for reversing thedirection of the ribbon-feed and a yielding connection between themovable ribbon-guide and the ribbon-reversing mechanism.

2. In a type-Writing machine or the like, the combination with theshafts or spindles of the ribbon spools, ofa longitudinally slidable.

shaft arranged to drive one or the other of the ribbon-spool spindles,means for rotating said shaft, a movable ribbon-guide, and meansoperated by the movement of said ribbonguide for shifting the saidshaft.

3. Ina type-writing machine or thelike, the combination of theribbon-spool spindles, a longitudinally-slidable shaft adapted to driveone or the other of said spindles, collars slidable on said shaft,movable ribbon-guides, an operative connection from each of said guidesto the corresponding collar to shift the latter by the movement of theribbon-guide, and a spring thronghthe medium of which the movement ofthe collar is transmittedto the shaft when the spring has acquired therequisite tension.

4. In a type-writing machine or thelike, the combination of theribbon-spool spindles, a longitudinally-slidable shaft adapted to driveone or the other of said spindles, movable ribbon-guides, means forshifting said shaft by the movement of the ribbon-guides, and aretarding device for opposing a resistance to the longitudinal movementof said shaft.

5. In a type-writing machine or thelike, the combination of theribbon-spool spindles, a longitudinally-slidable shaft adapted to driveone or the other of said spindles, a retarding device engaging saidshaft and pressed against the same transversely to oppose a resistanceto the longitudinal movement of the shaft, movable ribbon-guides,collarsloosely mounted on shaft so as to be capable of sliding thereon, ayielding connection between each collar and said shaft, and an operativeconnection from each ribbon-guide to the corresponding collar.

In testimony whereof I have signed my

